Petrol Smell in Cappo when I give her a workout!

[Fatmir Cukovic]

Hello All,

I can smell petrol in my cappo when I give it a workout, and it seems to be making it's way through the Vents on the Dashboard, but when I cruise it there is no smell, this could be dangerous!!!

What could it be?? Smells like it's leaking from the engine area as It comes throught The vents.

Please Help!!

Cheers

[Thomas Waterhouse]

Well I guess there are a few possibilities.
I guess most likely a leaking fuel hose or joint, so check all the hoses and connections, including the fuel injection rail and injectors.
Leaking intake manifold maybe? As in losing air after fuel has been injected. Probably unlikely and you would be losing turbo pressure so you should notice it.
I think there is a return from the fuel tank to the charcoal canister, from memory. So that could also be leaking too I guess.
That's probably about it.

What sort of fuel economy do you get?

[Murray Betts]

From your description it is not likely to be a simple fuel joint leak; with the normal pressures involved they usually leak at all running conditions, not just at high load (though if it's marginal, it is possible for this). One slightly obscure possibility is if the one way valve in the carbon can purge line to the throttle body has failed. This valve normally allows air to be drawn through the can at part load, when the inlet manifold pressure is below atmospheric, thus purging the fuel vapour out of the charcoal. At higher load when on boost and the inlet manifold is above atmospheric pressure, the valve should stop the reverse flow. If the valve has failed, air is blown through the can and out to underbonnet, so you'll smell fuel. Try blowing through the valve each way; it should flow into the engine only.

[Thomas Waterhouse]

I like the theory, I think it is a good possibility.

Bu also note that when on high boost the fuel regulator increases the fuel pressue on the rail - ie higher pressure on the incoming fuel line as well as the rail, so it could be leaking only when on high boost.

If you come over for the meet in Adelaide I'm sure as a group we can work it out

[Murray Betts]

Yes, I agree ref. increase in fuel pressure with boost, I noted if things were marginal the boost could be enough to encourage a leak, but in my experience if there is a leak in the "wet" fuel system it usually shows up at all running conditions (nominal pressure is 2.2Bar above inlet manifold, so even at idle it'll be getting on for 2Bar).
Another possible is a gas leak at either the inlet manifold to cylinder head joint, or at the bottom "O-rings" on the injectors into the manifold. Either of these will tend to leak air into the engine at part load, but will leak air (and some fuel) out under boost. Has the engine had any work done on it which would have involved disturbing this area??

[Murray Betts]

Sorry, Thomas already suggested this. Oops

[Fatmir Cukovic]

My fuel economy has decreased quite a bit compared to what it was, also starting the cappo is harder now eg. When I start it the whole engine vibrates for about 3 seconds (while doing this it's sounds like it's going to stall, so I always have to use my foot to get the revs up properly), when I don't use my foot to get the revs up ( which I shouldn't ), the usual 3 rough seconds occurs then the revs will through itself into normal mode which is approx 2000 revs when warming.

So my problems are fuel economy, smell of petrol, rough running on start up, also doesn't go as hard as it used to, and to answer the other guys question about modifications, YES, I have modified only one thing and that is my Turbo, I took it from 10pounds boost to 16p boost. The guy I fitted it at ( ZEGA ) said that no problems should occur as 16pound is the maximum you can boost the turbo on a cappo without modifying anything else, or giving it troubles.

So I hope this will give you guys a bit of backround to the problem.

THANKS AGAIN FROM FATTY

Well I guess there are a few possibilities.
I guess most likely a leaking fuel hose or joint, so check all the hoses and connections, including the fuel injection rail and injectors.
Leaking intake manifold maybe? As in losing air after fuel has been injected. Probably unlikely and you would be losing turbo pressure so you should notice it.
I think there is a return from the fuel tank to the charcoal canister, from memory. So that could also be leaking too I guess.
That's probably about it.

What sort of fuel economy do you get?

[Thomas Waterhouse]

Well actually lately mine has been occasionally starting like that when dead cold, but I put my foot down for a sec to bring the revs up and after that it is fine. I haven't read all the old 'starting problem' posts, but maybe this is it? ANyway, that may not be related.

Well it does sound like you're losing fuel - lower performance and fuel economy. What economy are you actually getting?

You'll just need to check all the things we mentioned.
If you've boosted it maybe you could have a intake manifold leak, if it isn't coping with the pressure.

[Murray Betts]

The plot thickens a bit. Check carefully the hoses to the fuel pressure regulator. Sounds rather like it's going way too rich at start up - do you see any black smoke while it's doing this?
Could it be a failed fuel pressure regulator diaphragm? You can get various sorts of problems if this is the case, too rich at light load, too lean at full load; could be, though it's pretty rare in my experience, but with the increase in boost setting it just might have pushed it too far. What is the age/mileage?

[Fatmir Cukovic]

I used to get about 600km's with a full tank, but now it seems to be giving no more then 530-550km's per tank!! and just to let you know my cappo is a 1997 model with the EA21R motor, so I'm bleeding that this has happened to my cappo.

Fatty

Well actually lately mine has been occasionally starting like that when dead cold, but I put my foot down for a sec to bring the revs up and after that it is fine. I haven't read all the old 'starting problem' posts, but maybe this is it? ANyway, that may not be related.

Well it does sound like you're losing fuel - lower performance and fuel economy. What economy are you actually getting?

You'll just need to check all the things we mentioned.
If you've boosted it maybe you could have a intake manifold leak, if it isn't coping with the pressure.

[Thomas Waterhouse]

600km? you've got to be kidding, 600km = 372 miles, even 530km = 329 miles, both of which are way over the max on the poll for touring range of 259 miles. The tank is still 30L on a ea21 isn't it?
Maybe a ear21 has better economy than a ea11, but still that sound huge. And I wouldn't be too worried about that change probably, probably just because of higher boost levels, but who knows.

[Fatmir Cukovic]

Sorry I should have worked it out before sending that to you, I thought that's roughtly what I do on a full tank of juice.

I've taken my car to work 7 days in a row, and I only fill the tank up once for the week, and to get to work and back home is about 70-80km's , so I thought roughly 600km's.

But now that I worked it out, I think I should have said about 480 to 550km's.

When I first bought my cappo, I drove it home on a full tank from about 125km's away, and the petrol needle did not move not one little bit.

The cappo is very economical, but not the way it used to be that I am sure of.

When I bought my cappo is was told that the economy of the EA21R motor is 4.5 litre in 100km's at 60miles an hour and 5.2 at 65-70miles.

Cheers
Fatty

600km? you've got to be kidding, 600km = 372 miles, even 530km = 329 miles, both of which are way over the max on the poll for touring range of 259 miles. The tank is still 30L on a ea21 isn't it?
Maybe a ear21 has better economy than a ea11, but still that sound huge. And I wouldn't be too worried about that change probably, probably just because of higher boost levels, but who knows.